260 SOLECURTIDiE. 



Solen angustior, constrichis, ^c. Chemn. Conch. Cab. vol. vi. p. G2, pi. 6, £. 45. 



Soleu courctalus, Gmel. (1788) p. 3224. — Brit. Marine Conch, p. 36.— Dillw. 

 Recent Shells, vol. i. p. 64. — Philippi, Moll. Sicil. vol. i. p. 

 6, and vol.ii. p. 5. — Hanl. Recent Shells, p. 14. 



Solen enuirifinatus, Spengler, Skrivt. Naturh. Selskab. vol. iii. pt. ii. p. 105. 



Sokn ardi(pMtus, Pulteney (1799), Hutchins Dorset, p. 28. — DoNov. Brit. 

 Shells, vol. iv. pi. 114. — Mont. Test. Brit. p. 52. — Linn. 

 Trans, vol. viii. p. 46. — Dorset Catalog, p. 29. — Turt. 

 Conch. Diction, p. 162. — Flem. Brit. Anim. p. 460. — 

 Wood, General Conch, p. 125, pi. 29, f. 3.— Lam. Anim. 

 s. Vert. (ed. Desh.) vol. vi. p. 59. — Index Testaceol. pi. 3, 

 Solen, f. 10. — Chenu, Illust. Conchyliolog. Solen, pi. 6, f. 8. 



PsammoUa antiquaia, Turt. Dithyra Brit. p. 91. 



Solecurlus antiqiiatus, Desh. Elem. Conch, pi. 5, f. 8 ; Exp. Scient. Algerie, 

 MoUus. p. 210. 



Azor antiquatus. Brown, Illus. Conch. G. B. p. 113, pi. 47, f. 6, 7. 



It is with some hesitation that we have substituted the 

 more expressive epithet bestowed upon this species by 

 Gmelin, for that by which it has been more generally 

 known among British writers ; since, notwithstanding that 

 the law of priority imperiously demands the establishment 

 of the first name correctly given to a species, so inade- 

 quately defined is the 8. coarctatus of Gmehn, and so en- 

 tirely dependent for identification upon two somewhat dis- 

 similar figures, that a kind of injustice seems inflicted upon 

 authors who have clearly and comprehensively charac- 

 terized the shell, in denying them the honour of its 

 nomination. Pennant, who first noticed this shell, mistook 

 it for the Linnean S. cultellus ; Da Costa used an objec- 

 tionable generic compound ; Chemnitz omitted the designa- 

 tion of it by a single appellation ; consequently, Gmelin, 

 whoso sole merit is the attachment of a name to a drawing, 

 obtains the credit of creating the species. 



The shape of this bivalve is more or less obliquely ob- 

 long, and occasionally somewhat elongated ; the texture is 

 opaque, and tolerably strong. The valves, without being 

 particularly shallow, are decidedly compressed near the 



